Character Studies

Hayley Childress

Holden Caulfield - Main character of the book, a 16 year old junior, expelled from a school called Pencey Prep because of academic failure. He is a person who hats phonies, and fake people, but in a lot of ways Holden is exactly those things. He hates the thought of growing up, he doesn't want the responsibilities that come with Growing up because at first he strongly believes the adult world is cruel and disappointing.

Ackley - Holden's next door neighbor in the dormitory at Pencey Prep. Ackley is described as a "Punkly kid" he has bad dental hygiene, and often barges into Holden's dorm room, oblivious to the fact that Holden doesn't want him in his dorm. Stradlater - Holden's roommate. Stradlater is popular, and very handsome. But Holden knows the real Stradlater that nobody else sees, he calls him "secret slob" because of his dirty toiletries. Holden also refers to him as "sexy bastard" because of his attractiveness. Jane Gallagher - a girl Holden spent a summer with, and she is very important to him because she is one of the only girls he has ever had a lot of respect for and actually found attractive. Phoebe Caulfield - Holden's little sister. He treasures her dearly, because even though she is 6 years younger than Holden she is one of the very few people that actually understands Holden, she listens to him and understands. Allie Caulfield - Holden's younger brother, who died from leukemia three years before the book took place. Sally Hayes - a girl Holden had known and dated for a very long time. D.B. Caulfield - Holden's older brother who wrote a short volume of stories that Holden liked a lot, but Holden thinks he "prostitutes" his writing abilities to the Hollywood scene. Maurice - The elevator guy that finds the girl Holden uses to prostitute. Sunny - The prostitute that Holden hired through the elevator guy Maurice. Carl Luce - a student at Columbia and Holden's school advisor. Three years older than Holden, h